Like many, perhaps most of us, I first came to Cayucos to vacation with our young family. What I saw was a small town, a village almost, which seemed trapped in time. It was as though Ike was still President and the Cleavers lived just down the street. There were no strip malls, fast food, or left turn pockets. Best of all the town was surrounded by open space, with the ocean to the west, the beach to the south, the marine terraces to the north, and the hills to the east.
I soon discovered that this was no accident. Cayucos was, and is, a treasured spot and the residents are in agreement to keep it that way. I learned that the greenbelt was defended, and sometimes augmented, by a group known as the Cayucos Land Conservancy. I also learned that many of these people were the same ones responsible for beating back the last development foray, which would have put 40-50 houses, a large hotel and resort on the marine terrace which is now Estero Bluffs State Park. My wife and I soon paid our dues and received distinctive caps. This January, I became Board President.
What particularly draws me to the mission of CLC is the intent to simply leave the land alone. At Estero Bluffs there are no picnic tables, no honey huts, no big signs proclaiming how proud we are of ourselves. We've put nothing on the land except for four low and unobtrusive interpretive signs. A remarkable concept really. Open space which is just that - open space. The openness gives us room to roam and relaxation for the eyes and the soul.
Paradoxically, leaving the land alone requires a great deal of energy and resources. Although we are an all-volunteer organization, we are in continuous need of funds, both to acquire new pieces (hillside parcels in the obsolete subdivisions) and to be good stewards of the land under our care. Consequently we continually ask for your support and we are grateful for it. We could not function without our friends and members. With your help we will continue to enjoy the untouched beauty that surrounds us.
Thank you,
